Paper cutting and folding machine.



PATENTED AUG. 23, i904.

S. D. RUTH.

D FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .DEOA 19,1903.

PAPER CUTTING AN 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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Hdifmgszs PATENTED AUG. 23', 1904.

No. 768,484.y y.

f I N .,S. 1).-RUTII.

PAPER CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEU. 19, 1903. N0` MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNHED STATES l Patented August 2S, 1.904.

PATENT GFFICE.

PAPER CUTTING AND FOLDING MACHINE.

SII?E(')IFLIICAZLION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,484, dated August 23, 1904.

' Application tied December 19,1903. serial No. 185,896, ci@ model.)

vTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. RUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beatrice, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Paper Gutting and Folding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in machines of that class employed for the formation of locking-tongues in sheets of paper, envelops, and the like to be employed for securing the sheets or envelops without the use of eyelets, clips, or any of the` similar fastening devices of ordinary use. l

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character in which the operating mechanism is materially simplified and so arranged that the various operationsof cutting, crimping, and folding may be carried on successively by the exertion of pressure or by a blow on an operating-knob that is suitably connectedA to the cutting and folding devices.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of machine in such manner as to facilitate the introduction of the tongues of paper formed by one set-of slits into the slots or openings formed for their reception.

With these and other objects in vie-w, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood thatA various changes in the form, proportions, size, and

minor details of the structure -may be made Without. departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of La paper cutting and folding machineconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

3 is a detail view in section of a portion of l the bed-plate andupper cutter-carrying plate. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the number of superposed sheets bent over at one corner and provided with parallel and with divergent Flg.

to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The machine forming the subject of the present invention is designed for the formation of a locking-tongue in sheets or envelops and thebending of the tongue and the insertion of its edges in a pair of slits arranged adjacent to the tongue and disposed in such manner that the tongue will be retained in place and all of the sheets of paper or the envelop will be rmly secured, thus dispensing with the ordinary metallic clips or other securing devices ordinarily employed for similar purposes.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is lirst had to Figs. 4

and 5, which illustrate a number of superposed sheets of paper bent at one corner and provided with two divergent slits ma, forming a tongue b, and a second pair of parallel slits c. In practicing the invention the slits are first cut, and then the tongue formed by the divergent slits is bent over on top of the paper and its opposite edges inserted in the parallel slits, as shown in Fig. 5. This forms a positive lock for the paper, and it may be utilized in securing together a number of sheets or may be employed for closing envelops, circulars,'and other articles which are to be sent by mail at other than first-class rates. It may be` here notedthat it is not absolutely essential that the slits a be divergent and the slits c parallel, as their order may be reversed, as shown in Fig. 6, or both sets of slits may be arranged on divergent lines, as shown in Fig. 7

The mechanism is mounted on a suitable base l, to the rear edge of which is pivotally connected a plate 2, that is normally maintained with its front edge slightly elevated above the top of the base-plate, this being ac- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.

Fig. 5 isl a similar view showing the complished by the employment ot' one or more springs or by rormingtheplate itseltl ot' spring metal and riveting or otherwise securing its rear edge tothe base-plate. From the opposite sides of the base. rise side plates 3, forming a portion of a casing which may be arranged close to all of the operating parts.

The side plates form supports for a transl the rack-bar and prevent lateral play thereof.

When the parts are not operating, the rackbar itself is held in elevated position by means o1 a helical compression-spring 9, surrounding the upper portion of the rack-bar and bearing at one end on the top of the casing and at the opposite end against the under side of an enlarged knob, which may be depressed by direct pressure or by a blow when operating the machine. This spring further serves to restore the parts to normal inoperative position by raising the segment 5 and all of the parts to which it is connected.

In the upper inner face ot' the base-plate is a recess 11, approximately T-shaped in contour, the opposite side walls of the longitudinally-extended portion of the recess being' undercut in order to aord a space for the insertion of the edges ofthe paper tongue during the operation of, inserting the latter through the parallel slits. These walls further form cutting edges, which operate in connection with suitable blades carried by the plate 2 to form parallel slits. The base-plate is further provided with a pair of cutting-blades 12, arranged on divergent lines corresponding to the angles of the edges ot' the tongue, and these plates are slightly inclined, their rear edges being somewhat higher than the front edges, so as to act in conjunction with the cutting edges of the plate 2 to effect a shear cut. The base-plate is further provided with a pair of lug's or shoulders 19C, arranged at the inner walls of the blades 12 and forming inclined supports for the tongue, so that the latter' when cut will be immediately bent at an ang'le to the general plane of the baseplate and the sheets o1' paper or envelop thereon. The upper plate 2 is provided with a suitable opening' having' two inclined walls 15 arranged on lines corresponding to the angular planes o1c the tongue edges, and these walls serve as cutting edges in connection with the blades 2. The forward end of the opening is approximately rectangular in Jform, and depending from its opposite parallel side walls are cutting' knives or blades 16, that are adapted to cooperate with the cutting edges or' the recess to form the parallel slits in the paper. The blades are preferably inclined, as shown, in order to form a shear cut; but the blades are so arranged that their eut-- ting edges will but slightly pass below the z upper surface ot' the base-plate, so that the undercut portions ot' the walls will be tree and unobstructed to permit the sides o1 the tongues to pass thereinto. In order to ltorce the intermediate portion oli the paper downward, being that portion between the two parallel slits, a spring 17 is secured to the under side o't' the plate 2 and engages the papel' between the two slits and forces the same down to the bottom of the recess, so that the parallel slits will be held. slightly open in readiness Jfor the passage of thc tongues.

1n devices of this class which hitherto have been constructed by me the base-plate has formed a practically level sup1i)orting-surlace for the paper, and in the depression of the loop of paper between the two parallel slits it is found that there is some tendency to buckle the paper, or, if the pressure be excessive, the paper may tear. To overcome this difficulty, the base-plate is provided with a transversely -disposed rib 18, arranged in alinement with the two parallel slits, and the upper plate 2 is further provided with a transversely-extending groove or recess 1S), into which the paper may pass when elevated by the rib 18. This primarily produces a rib or up-bent convolution of the paper in a direction transversely with the machine, and when the cutting operation occurs and the loop of paper between the two parallel slits is bent down it merely reverses this particular portion of the convolution---that is to say, for the main portion of the paper the convolution will be bent upward, while for that portion ol the paper between the two slits the convolution will be bent downward. This forms a wide opening at the slits withoutin any manner tending' to stretch or tear the paper aml permits of the more ready insertion o1 the side edges of the wedge-like tongue.

On the top of the plate Q is arranged a lon- I gitudinally-disposed slide 20, that is normally projected to a position slightly over the end of the opening nearest the front oli the machine by means oi a compression-spring Q1, suitable g'uides Q2 being employed to maintain the slide in proper position. The rear end of the slide, or that portion which projects over the opening, is tapered in order to form a bending-anvil Q3, on which the central portion of the tongne is bent, in oi'der that the side edges of the tongue may be brought nearer to each other preliminary to their i11- troduction through the parallel slits.

The outer plate 2 is provided with a pair of guiding-pins 25 26, that extend through suitable slots formed in a tongue-folding slide 2T, and the lower portion o1 the front end ol.

IOO

said slide is provided with a V-shaped groove or recess that in part coacts with the similarly-shapedanvil 23 to form the fold in the tongue. The greatest depth of the recess is at thefront of the slide, and the upper wall of the recess from thence tapers gradually until it merges into the bottom vline of the slide, so that there is formed a' V-shaped slot ofcontinuously decreasing cross sectional area from the front toward the rear of the slide. The anvil23 is shaped in corresponding manner and is in cross-section in the form of a triangle of gradually increasing area from its pointed end toward the front of the slide 19, or, if desired, it may be slightly iattened. The slide 27 is' normally maintained in a position to the rear of the cutters by means of a coiled tension spring 80, and said slide is provided on one or both ofits sides with pins or lugs 31, adapted to ride over stationary cams 32, secured to the bedplate during the advancing mov-ement of the slide, this being for the purpose of permitting the slide to follow the folding movement of the tongue as the latter is bent over onto the anvil 23.

To operate the tongue-folding slide 27, saidY segment 5 the slide will be drawn forward and fold the paper tongue over onto the anvil and will then descend as the lugs or pins 31 ride down the forward inclined faces of the cams 32 until the paper tongue is bent and clamped between the two slides. To complete the fold- 'ing operation, it is necessary, or, atleast desirable, to employ an auxiliary member for flattening the tongue and thus insure the introduction of its edges through the parallel slits. For this purpose the slide 27 is pro- 'vided with a gulding-opening for the reception of a presser-foot 40, which is` held in elevated position by a small vcompressionspring 4l. When the slide has been moved to its full forward position and accomplished its work, a lug 42, operatively connected to the bar comes into contactwith the head ofthe presser-foot and forces the same downward i to flatten the tongue.

The depression of the plate 2 and the operation of the parts are accomplished by cams 44 that are carried by -the shaft 4, and said ycams act preferably on small wear-blocks 45, arranged near the opposite sidesof the plate 2.

In the operation of the mechanism the folded sheets of paper or the envelops are introduced into the apparatus at a point between Athe baseplate and the plate 2, the paper being pushed toward the rear until its edge strikes against the rear edges of the blades 12, the latter being preferably elevated to form stops for limiting the-movement of unobstructed.

the paper. The operator then strikesthe operating-knob 10, and by a blow or by the eX- below the upper edges of the slots 10, so that the undercut portions of these walls will be As the plate further descends the rib 18 will tend to force the paper upward into the transverse groove 19 of the plate 2, and thus form an up-bent convolution inthe paper transversely of the machine. The spring 17 will engage the paper loop formed between the two parallel slits and will depress the same until the convolution between the two slits will extend downward instead of upward, and owing to the transverse bend in the paper this is accomplished Awithout strain andwithout danger of tearing.

The paper tongue is now held at a slight an"- gle'with respect to the base by resting on the shoulders or lugs 14. When the plate has been fully depressed, further downward movement of the knob 10 will result in moving the lever 34 in such manner as to pull the slide 27 toward the'` front of the machine. The front end of the slide will engage the partlyraised tongue and force the sainev over, the length of the tongue so bent being determined by the length of the'divergent slits. In order to permit the slide to more readily accomplish its work, the cams32 and the pins or lugs 3l are employed, so that the slide will rst be moved up to follow the tongue and will then descend on the tongue andclamp it on the anvil,- the tongue receiving a longitudinal bend sufiicient to reduce its apparent width to less than the distance between the two parallel slits. Continued movement of the lever will still force the slide 27 forward, and the latter will, through the intervening paper, force the anvil-slide forward` and the gradually-reducing areas of the slot and anvil willV result in iiattening of the tongue and the forcing of its edges in a lateral direction through the parallel slits and yinto the undercut or recessed walls of the base. This movement may be continued until the tongues are quite Hat, or the operation may be completed by the employment of the presser-foot 40. In the latter case the lug 42 comes into contact with the head of the presser-foot and forces the same down in a positive manner, so that the anvil will be forced to the front and the foot will positively engage With and flatten the tongue. When the rack-bar 6 is released, its return to its normal elevated position by means of the spring 9 and the paper or envelop is left on the bed-plate and to some eX- tent retained thereon by the insertion of the' edges of the tongue in the recessed or under- IOO TIO

cut walls` The recesses are continued forward to the wider portion of the recess ll, so

that by exerting a slight forward pull on the paper or envelop the device may be freed from the undercut walls and the paper removed from the machine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is4 1. In a paper cutting and folding' machine, a base having a transverse rib and provided with cutting' devices in alinement with the rib, a movable member grooved to receive the paper bent upward by the rib, and means for y engaging and depressing that portion of the paper between the cutters, substantially as specified.

2. ln a paper cutting and folding machine, a relativelyT stationary base having a transverse rib and provided with a recessed portion in alinement with the rib, a plate having a groove coaeting with the rib in the forming of a convolution in the paper, cutting devices for the formation of slits in the paper, means for depressing a portion of the paper between two of the slits and in alinement with said convolution to form a loop bent in a direction opposite to such convolution, and folding devices for engaging a paper tongue formed between two of the slits and bending the same to pass the edges of the tongue through the slits at the sides of the loop.

3. ln a paper cutting and folding' machine, the combination with a base, of a plate, coacting cutting and folding devices carried b v the base and the plate, a transversely-dsposed shaft, means mounted on the shaft and serving to depress the plate, a toothed segment secured to the shaft, and a longitudinally-movable rack-bar engaging the teeth of tlu` segment.

4t. ln a paper cutting and folding machine, a base, a movable plate, coaeting cutting and folding' devices iarrie-d by the base and the plate, a transverse shaft, cams carried b v the shaft and serving to depress the plate, a` rackbar for engaging the segment, a casing having an opening that forms an upper bearing for the rack-bar, and a recessed bracket carried by the casing and serving to engage the lower portion of said rack-bar.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto afiixcd my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL I). RUII'I.

Vitnesses:

J. H. Pennini, PETER lnNNnn. 

